The Cuban regime declared an official mourning for the death of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Father Emir of the State of Qatar, who passed away this Sunday at the age of 74, as confirmed by the Qatari royal court.
The official statement, disseminated by the state channel Canal Caribe, states that the mourning period will be observed from 6:00 a.m. on Monday, July 13, until midnight on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
During that period, the Lone Star Flag should be flown at half-mast on all public buildings and military institutions on the island.
Miguel Díaz-Canel expressed his condolences through his account on X, where he described the deceased as "a statesman who made a decisive contribution to the development of modern and vibrant Qatar" and emphasized that "he was a dear friend of the Cuban people and of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz."
The Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz also expressed his condolences on social media for the loss of the former Qatari leader.
The official statement from the Cuban government noted that Sheikh Hamad "demonstrated a special affection for Cuba and its people throughout his life" and that he "fostered a close friendship with the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, which solidified the development of the historical relations of friendship and cooperation that exist today between the two nations."
Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani ruled Qatar for 17 years, from June 1995 —when he ascended to power through a peaceful coup against his own father— until his voluntary abdication in June 2013, when he transferred leadership to his son, the current emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
During his tenure, he transformed Qatar into a global powerhouse in liquefied natural gas and founded the television network Al Jazeera in 1996, in addition to driving a profound modernization of the country.
His connection to Cuba was evident through concrete gestures: during his first visit to the island in September 2000, he was awarded the José Martí Order, the highest distinction granted by the Cuban state.
The most tangible symbol of this bilateral relationship is the Cuban Hospital in Dukhan, inaugurated on January 10, 2012, in the presence of Sheikh Hamad himself, whom the Cuban government described as "a symbol of brotherhood between both states and peoples and a benchmark for the excellence of the services it provides."
The medical cooperation between both countries intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic: Cuba sent 229 health workers to Qatar in April 2020 and a third brigade of 156 specialists in March 2021, while the Henry Reeve brigade attended to more than 270,000 patients in that country between 2020 and 2022.
In November 2022, Cuba also deployed doctors in Qatar during the World Cup, at the Aisha Bint Hamad Al Attiyah hospital, further demonstrating the depth of that bilateral relationship.
All these shipments of health professionals —under conditions of labor exploitation— contrast with the shortage of staff in Cuban healthcare institutions, which are increasingly precarious.
Cuba and Qatar established diplomatic relations on December 13, 1989, and Qatar was the first country in the Persian Gulf to open an embassy in Havana, in September 2001.
It is striking that the two-day mourning declared by the Cuban authorities following the death of the Qatari Emir contrasts sharply with the mere 18 hours of mourning declared for a historical figure of the Castro regime, the commander of the revolution, Ramiro Valdés.
The United Arab Emirates, for their part, declared four days of official mourning for the passing of Sheikh Hamad, according to the Qatari news agency QNA.
The Cuban government extended its condolences to the current emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, "as well as to his family and friends of the deceased, and to the Qatari government and people," according to the official statement released this Sunday.
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